1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction member, and more particularly, to a construction member used, for example, in floors, walls, ceilings, and the like, as an interior finish members and an exterior wall finish members for various kinds of buildings in, for example, commercial zones, leisure zones, resort facilities or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, construction members serving as an interior finish members and an exterior wall finish members included, among other things, woody boards, stone materials, gypsum boards, artificial stones, bricks, ceramic tiles, and plastic tiles and the like. Such conventional construction members, however, had their surfaces generally flat, and were lacking in general decorativeness. Only a few thereof were aesthetically variable.
The conventional construction members, in general therefore, could not meet the diverse needs of users as materials for buildings in, for example, city zones and commercial zones; or those in play zones, such as theme parks, waterfront constructions, and various resort facilities; or as formative materials for enhancing visual effects for various events; and interior finishes.
In the prior art which makes the background of the present invention, there is a neon tube used, for example, in signboards or neon sign, and the like. In a conventional neon tube itself is constituted as a visually perceptible part for indicating a letter, a symbol or a pattern by merely bending the neon tube itself. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a conventional neon sign which forms the background of the present invention.
A neon sign 1 includes a rectangular supporting plate 2 made of metal. A neon tube 3 forms the indication of a letter "OPEN" on the surface of the supporting plate 2. The neon tube 3 is fixed to the supporting plate 2 by means of a supporter 4. The supporter 4 includes a column-shaped supporting leg 5. An approximately U-shaped holding member 6 made of an elastic metal such as spring steels is formed on one end of the supporting leg 5 in the axial direction thereof. The holding member 6 is energized so that it is closed in the radial direction thereof. An mounting strip 8 having a mounting screw 7 is formed on the other end of the supporting leg 5 in the axial direction thereof. The supporter 4 is installed on the supporting plate 2 appropriately by means of the mounting screw 7. The neon tube 3 is held on the supporting plate 2 by the holding portion 6 so as to prevent the neon tube 3 from being dropped.
In the conventional neon sign shown in FIG. 10, the neon tube 3 constituting the visually perceptible part is supported partly by the holding portion 6 of the supporter 4. Thus, the neon sign is unstable. Further, because the neon tube 3 itself is exposed to the outside, there is a possibility that it is damaged by shock applied thereto from outside.